Yup, Monday was surgery date and below is the story of my experience, hoping that it helps someone someday.
Monday morning at about 5:30 AM PT I checked into Sharp Memorial Hospital in San Diego to have my Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass surgery. I went to the admissions area and gave them my name. I did not have to bring an ID with me because I had pre-registered with Sharp when I went for the pre-surgery class the Wednesday prior to surgery where they scanned my drivers license into the system!! very neat indeed.
After that I was taken into a waiting room where I waited with another individual who was checking in for a different surgery. This time the wait was about one minute. From there we were taken to the 5th floor where we each were assigned a room and given a gown and instructed to wear the gown the hospital supplied socks after taking off everything we had on (yes, everything) some of you might think well duh but honestly this was my first surgery and I have always imagined having it with my shorts on!! don’t know why but this was the first Modesty shocker.
There in the room laying on the bed and waiting when here comes Mrs. Let me scare the kids away nurse... she was mean and did not want to listen to me when I explained that I am a hard stick and that the best place to place the IV was on my left arm. After pocking and torturing me for a few minutes another nurse took mercy on me and asked for the IV Team to come over and place the IV... guess what, they listened and that IV when in without me even feeling it because apparently they place local anesthesia on the area before pocking you unlike Mrs. Let me scare the kids away nurse.
Nurse Susan (The one that took mercy on me) chatted with me for a while and answered every question that comes to my mind. She then left me to watch TV for about 30 minutes before taking me on a bed to the Anesthesia room. By this time it was 7:30 AM. The anesthesia Dr. came and asked me the same questions that everyone has asked me all day then took me to get weighed 400 lbs was the reading. I was then taken into the Surgery room where I was placed on a surgery table and lights just went out!!! Next thing I know I am awake in the recovery room with terrible pain....yes, that infamous MAC truck that everyone was talking about is real. Nurses had mercy on me and kept me sedated. Basically I would wake up, scream pain and fall back a sleep again from some very nice drugs
One time I woke up to a nurse holding my wohoo and pulling the catheter out
Let me tell yeah, that was not fun. It basically felt as if I was peeing all over the bed! Luckily that was not the case. Only a feeling from her pulling the catheter out.
Well, afterwards I spend two nights in the hospital and I was kicked out on Wednesday at about 11-12 noon. the first night was painful and they kept giving me Morphine. the only problem with morphine is that the more I was given the more my body kept rejecting it in the form of Nauseous feeling. The nurses were nice enough to call my Surgeon who put me on Loritab instead which was much better and lasted a heck of a lot longer.
Every half day was different, although I did not sleep through out a single night, I would say that by the third night (now as I am typing this post) the pain is all but gone.
The hospital stay was very accommodating. Sharp pretty much provided everything I needed. They even had deodorant, lip palm, tooth brush and Paste, body gel and socks for me to take showers while at the hospital!! I did not even have to open my bag for anything other than to get my cell phone out and call a few friends.
Getting used to drinking via small sips was a challenge but I am getting the hang of it all.